← Nouns Cooking · Korean

Ingredients

• 16 Perilla leaves (kkaennip)
• 150 g minced beef (or pork)
• 100 g firm tofu, squeezed dry and crumbled
• ¼ Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp Sugar
• ¼ tsp Salt
• Black pepper
• 4 tbsp Plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp soy sauce mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar, to dip

Method

1. Mix the beef, tofu, onion, spring onion, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper and knead with your hand for a minute until sticky.
2. Wash and dry the perilla leaves. Dust the inside of each leaf lightly with flour, put about 1 tbsp filling on one half and fold the leaf over, pressing gently.
3. Dust the outsides with flour and dip each one in beaten egg.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat and fry for 3–4 min per side, until golden and the filling is cooked through.
5. Serve warm with the soy-vinegar dip.

Tips

• Leftover filling makes perfect little wanja-jeon: roll it into flat patties and cook them the same way.
• Keep the heat gentle so the meat cooks before the egg coat browns too much.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Korean Bapsang Kimchimari